AFTER months of speculation, rumour and heated statements, the tribunal investigating alleged illegal payments to staff and players at Rangers has delivered its verdict. Lord Nimmo Smith ruled that Rangers were guilty of failing to submit details of the tax avoidance scheme to league bosses - but did NOT gain an unfair competitive advantage from doing so. The oldco club was fined £250,000.

AFTER months of speculation, rumour and heated statements, the tribunal investigating alleged illegal payments to staff and players at Rangers has delivered its verdict. Lord Nimmo Smith ruled that Rangers were guilty of failing to submit details of the tax avoidance scheme to league bosses - but did NOT gain an unfair competitive advantage from doing so. The oldco club was fined £250,000.

10:55

FINALLY, at long last and after months of speculation and heated statements, we have reached D-Day.

At midday this afternoon Rangers finally discover their fate as the tribunal investigating alleged illegal payments to staff and players delivers its verdict.

Record Sport revealed on February 1 that law lord, Nimmo-Smith would take weeks rather than days to sift through the evidence and cases offered by both Rangers and football authorities to the three-man panel over the course of three days as part of their probe into the EBT payments.

It is a day that could expose the absurdity of the ‘oldco-Newco’ argument and the panel could choose to fine ‘oldco Rangers’ for past indiscretions or strip the club (and in effect, the Newco) of titles won during that period - although it appears the latter option has been ruled out.

Today, in our live blog, we will build up to the decision with all the background information and the latest news and comments. We will then report the decision of the tribunal when it is delivered and the immediate reaction.

11:00

Already the first reports are out - an hour before the decision is officially due - and we understand the club will NOT be stripped of any titles but are likely to be hit with a smaller punishment.

11:02

Today’s Record Sport article by Keith Jackson sets the scene on today's ruling:

Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley also spoke about the tribunal in his column in today’s Record Sport and had some very strong words on the issue, declaring that: “At times it has felt to me as if Scottish football has taken it in turns to inflict as much damage as possible at a time when the club has been at its weakest and unable to protect itself.”

He adds that: “It’s actually made me suspect there really might be some bad people and dark forces out there who have been engaged in deliberate acts of guerilla warfare against one of football’s great institutions.”

Back to the situation in hand and Rangers could of course decide to appeal any decision made by the tribunal today.

That would see this problem and the surrounding arguments drag on for even longer. Given the past couple of years and the uncertainty and damage that has been done to the Scottish game as a whole, that would arguably be the worst possible outcome.

11:28

Some Rangers supporters are prepared to battle on through the courts if needs be. Fans spokesperson and editor of the Rangers Standard website @ChrisGraham76 said on Twitter: “Common sense says we should be fine though. SPL have been at it from day one. If not we go to court.”

11:30

The Rangers Trust, @rangersfctrust state: “Titles can' be taken today. If SPL say they should we appeal to SFA. If SFA say they should we go to courts. Fans will take this all the way Only thing that can be decided today is if Scottish football will move on or sadly cause a generation of hatred we have never seen before.” (sic)

11:32

This warning has been echoed by some supporters and members of The Blue Order fan group, @MitchellenMan writes: “We've beaten the SFA in court, we've won against HMRC in court, so the question is SPL, do you fancy it? #ReadyForWar”

11:36

Lord Nimmo Smith will deliver the independent commission's verdict at noon when the decision to fine the club £250,000 but NOT strip them of titles will be confirmed.

11:52

Detailed background on the EBT situation, the Craig Whyte era, the club's collapse into administration and subsequent liquidation can be found here: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/rangers%20in%20crisis

11:58

Official:

LORD NIMMO SMITH has judged that Rangers did not gain an unfair sporting advantage from their use of EBT's.

Record Sport understands that is the crucial factor behind his decision not to strip the Ibrox club of any of its 54 titles - despite handing out a £250,000 fine.

The lawlord - who has been heading up the three man independent commission which has been probing alleged breaches of SPL rules - has found the club guilty only of failing to submit details of the tax avoidance scheme to league bosses.

But he will declare at noon that this lack of disclosure did not render the players involved ineligible to compete in league matches.

And for that reason, he has found that Rangers were not guilty of 'financial doping' to win games on the pitch throughout the period of 2000-2011.

Last night sources close to the club, who had been privy to some of the feedback from the investigation, feared today's high noon announcement might see them stripped of at least one championship victory.

But, in fact, Rangers are about to be officially cleared of any serious wrong-doing and fined only for a breach of rules regarding appropriate paperwork.

As Keith Jackson pointed out this morning, Rangers were found guilty of failing to submit details of the tax avoidance scheme to league bosses - but did NOT gain an unfair competitive advantage from doing so thus the decision not to strip the club of any of their 54 titles.

The ruling states:

"Rangers FC did not gain any unfair competitive advantage from the contraventions of the SPL Rules in failing to make proper disclosure of the side-letter arrangements, nor did the non-disclosure have the effect that any of the registered players were ineligible to play, and for this and other reasons no sporting sanction or penalty should be imposed."

12:45

Tweet us your thoughts on today's ruling @Record_Sport

12:47

For the purpose of disambiguation over the oldco/newco situation, the commision confirmed their earlier decision that newco Rangers
could not be held responsible for any breach of rules by the oldco. They state: "In all the circumstances the commission has imposed a fine of £250,000 on oldco."

12:53

Lord Nimmo Smith who has delivered a verdict that Rangers "did not gain any unfair competitive advantage" from their use of EBTs between 2000 and 2011.